Chapter 3 Let's Get Married Flycot Net

  Xiao Xiao's purpose was just to take a look at the legendary Chen Piaoxue, but Liu Yan, who had been ambushed by Cheng Yaojin halfway, disrupted his interest and left without saying anything. Liu Yan sent the stunned Piaoxue back home, all the way Piaoxue refused to speak, until she entered her own room, she grabbed Liu Yan and burst into tears, repeatedly muttering "What should I do? What should I do now?"

  Liu Yan, who was pampered and surprised, gently patted the back of Fei Xue, comforting her like a child: "Don't worry, it's all just a misunderstanding. Once we've checked the accounts, we'll be able to prove our innocence."

  "Clean?" Xiao Xue couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh, gazing deeply at Liu Yan with profound meaning, before falling silent.

  Liu Yan's heart tightened and he cautiously asked: "The company's accounts won't really have any problems, will they?"

  Piaoxue didn't respond, casting her gaze out the window. At that moment, Liu Yan's mood suddenly plummeted to rock bottom. He knew Piaoxue too well; none of her lies could deceive him, and now she didn't even have the emotional energy to fabricate a lie.

  That afternoon, the investigation team indeed found out the problem, and this result made Xiao Xiao shocked. She arranged for someone to investigate Xia Zhi Xue's advertising company at that time, just to make trouble for Xia Zhe, but unexpectedly it turned out to be true. Liu Yan and Piao Xue were also controlled by the public security organs, in a dimly lit room, Liu Yan did not know what happened outside.

  A week later, Liu Yan was released and everything settled down. The company's accountant was put in jail, and almost everyone unanimously kept their mouths shut about the matter.

  Haiyan, Liu Yan's good friend, recounted the outline of what she had heard. On the third day that Liu Yan and Piaoxue were under investigation, Piaoxue was released, with the investigation having been concluded that it was all Liu Yan's doing and had nothing to do with Xia Zhe or Piaoxue, and a public prosecution would be held immediately.

  The next day, things took another turn with the Xiao family inexplicably getting involved. Xiao Xiao somehow produced a lot of evidence that proved Liu Yan's innocence. What happened afterwards was beyond Haiyan's knowledge, and no one knew how many twists and turns there were in between. In short, Liu Yan was also cleared of wrongdoing, and then the small accountant surrendered himself.

  Although the money laundering case has come to an end, Xia Wenzhong is extremely dissatisfied with his son's behavior and forcibly sends him abroad. Before Xia Zhe leaves, he gets drunk with Liu Yan and Piao Xue, and after going through all these things, it's no longer necessary to investigate who was right or wrong. What hurts them the most is that they have been together for over a decade, but ultimately still have to part ways.

  The three of them were all a bit drunk and out of control. Xia Zhe grabbed Fei Xue's hand and asked if she was willing to follow him. Fei Xue hugged Xia Zhe's neck and wailed loudly, then heavily pounded his chest, sobbing and saying: "Can you? Can you really do it?"

  Xia Zhe knew that his family would not allow him to take Fei Xue with him, and a few days ago, if he hadn't knelt down and begged his grandfather, his grandfather wouldn't have found a way to keep Fei Xue. The money laundering was something Xia Zhe and Fei Xue did together, they wanted to break free from the family's control and buy their own house. As for Liu Yan, she had no idea about it from start to finish.

  Snow is crying, for her own fate, she feels that this life has no chance to be with Xia Zhe together, and even more impossible to enter the summer house that makes her look up.

  Xia Zhe is crying. For the sake of a man's dignity, he feels like a complete loser who can't even have the woman he loves, and can't even decide which city or country to live in.

  Liu Yan couldn't bear the sorrowful atmosphere, and he also cried, but he couldn't say clearly what he was crying about. In front of him were other people's departures and stays, other people's loves and hates, which seemed to have nothing to do with himself, yet had everything to do with him. He found himself in a position that couldn't be explained or understood, looking around blankly, not knowing where to go or what to do.

  After a big drunk, Xia Zhe finally left. Xue Xue didn't go to the airport to see him off. Liu Yan blended in with Xia's relatives and quietly helped Xia push his luggage through security checks. Before passing through the security check, the two childhood friends hugged each other tightly with all their might, secretly wiping away tears on each other's shoulders, then separated very calmly, punching each other once on the chest.

  Liu Yan said: "You should come back earlier."

  Xia Zhe said: "Help me take care of my good drifting snow."

  This was the last time the two brothers hugged each other, and no one expected that their next meeting would be six years later.

  Six years, over two thousand days and nights, more than fifty thousand hours, and who knows how many minutes and seconds. Liu Yan was too lazy to calculate it. In such a long time, many things would change, such as the taxi fare in Binan City added fuel surcharge, the tallest building in the small town changed from ten or so floors to thirty or so floors, the house price rose nearly tenfold, and thus gave birth to a large number of mortgage slaves...

  Six years ago, when Xia Zhe reluctantly left Binan City, Liu Yan was 24 years old and had just graduated from university for a year. At that time, the Xia Zhi Xue Advertising Company was left with only an empty shell, employees scattered, and no businessman dared to come and discuss cooperation. For a whole year, not a single large business order could be received. To make a living, Liu Yan had to take on some small orders that even a typing agency could complete, including making handwritten newspapers for students, designing name cards and invitations, in order to support himself and Xiaoxue's expenses. Xia Wen Zhong and Wang Chun Ling couple completely cut off all contact with Liu Yan in order to draw a clear line between themselves and the Xia Zhi Xue Advertising Company. Recalling that dark year, it can be described as isolated and helpless. Due to economic constraints, Liu Yan moved the company from a high-end office building to an ordinary office building, and then to a low-rent residential house. The company only had the two of them, and every day they were engaged in endless proposals, although they knew there was no hope, they still persisted without hesitation. Liu Yan couldn't explain why he did so, perhaps it was to accompany Xiaoxue, or perhaps it was for Xia Zhe's words at that time "Follow me, what I have, you will have".

  The turning point for Xia Zhi Xue Advertising Company came a year after Xia Zhe left. Out of the blue, a big client appeared, and overnight, the company that nobody wanted to touch became the most sought-after flower. Those big bosses who had previously rejected Liu Yan's ideas were now giving him thumbs up again. Even the director of the university's marketing department came to invite Liu Yan to be a guest lecturer, teaching graduating seniors about real-world advertising experience. And so, Xia Zhi Xue Advertising Company welcomed its own spring after going through a year-long winter.

  The next few years can be described as a blowout for Xia Zhe Advertising Company's development, with business flying in like snowflakes without the need for customer service personnel to solicit it. Liu Yan, still holding onto his past grievances, rented back the original office building at a high price and then began recruiting and expanding, increasing the company's strength several times over from when Xia Zhe left. Liu Yan and Piao Xue no longer had to squeeze into the same small room; they each had their own spacious and bright offices. Liu Yan was the general manager, Piao Xue was the financial controller, and the chairman of the board was still Xia Zhe, whose office remained empty but was cleaned spotlessly every day.

  In a place where white-collar workers gather, there are always all sorts of rumors and gossip. Everyone says that Liu Yan and Piao Xue are a match made in heaven, having gone through thick and thin together, persisting and tempering themselves along the way, resulting in the current Xia Zhi Xue. Almost everyone thinks that Liu Yan and Piao Xue will soon walk hand in hand into the wedding hall, but they have been hesitant to take that step.

  Time flies, and Liu Yan has reached the age of thirty. It's been six years since Xia Zhe left, with no news whatsoever, not even knowing if he's dead or alive. During this time, Liu Yan visited the Xia family several times, but Xia Wen Zhong and Wang Chun Ling were extremely cold and refused to reveal any information about Xia Zhe. Every year around Chinese New Year, Xiao Xue would inexplicably appear at the airport, sitting in the waiting hall watching people return home with excitement and joy. She had fantasized countless times about running into Xia Zhe here, taking his luggage like old friends, going home together, having him take a bath while she cooked dinner, making his favorite dish from college, fish-flavored pork... But such fantasies never came true, and in the cycle of hope and despair, Xiao Xue slowly lost hope. After all, six years is not a short time, enough to fade away many things, including love.

  Six years is enough to change many people and things, most of the classmates at that time are already married and have children, some have entered official career, some have made a fortune, some have gone abroad, and some have passed away in their youth. Liu Yan and Piao Xue's life, however, remains the same as six years ago, going to work, getting off work, or overtime, no matter what rumors colleagues spread about them, they are not moved. It's not that Liu Yan doesn't want to, but between them, there is always a Xia Zhe. He can only silently do many things for Piao Xue, meticulous in every detail.

  On the thirtieth birthday of Xiaoxue, several female colleagues asked about her private life under the influence of alcohol. The questions were very straightforward, asking when she could marry Liu Yan, and if she didn't want to get married, there were several sisters in the company who were eager to try. The person who raised this bold question was Anran, a recent graduate who was Liu Yan's secretary.

  Because the topic was too hot, the big package room suddenly became quiet, and several tables of colleagues stared at Xiaoxue without blinking. Liu Yan also looked at her, seeing that she didn't speak, her expression slightly dimmed, waved his hand and said: "Your General Manager Chen has so many important things to consider every day, how can he be like you guys who only care about these young boys and girls all day? Come on, let's drink, and wish your General Manager Chen a more beautiful year than the last."

  Everyone raised their glasses in embarrassment, and the atmosphere was very awkward. At this time, Xue Xue slowly stood up, smiled and said: "Your Liu is a workaholic, so many years without flowers or diamond rings, can't I, as a woman, take the initiative to do such things?" After finishing, she raised her glass to Liu Yan from afar and lightly placed it on her lips.

  Liu Yan was as if he had been struck by a magic spell, and stood there dumbly for half a day without saying a word. It wasn't until his colleagues teased him and pushed him to the side of Piao Xue that he came back to his senses from his daze.

  "What? Can't even ask a beauty to dance? Am I old, are you really thinking of the little sister in the company?" Xiaoxue playfully winked at Liu Yan.

  Liu Yan made a tense inviting gesture, and his colleagues quickly played soft dance music and dimmed the lights.

  On the negotiating table, Liu Yan was talking eloquently and confidently, but at this moment, he was taking awkward dance steps, with a few beads of sweat on his forehead. He wanted to say something, but didn't say it out loud. All of this was seen by Piao Xue, who felt a surge of sweetness in her heart. She was just an ordinary woman, and how could she ignore the silent care that Liu Yan had shown her over the years? The distant Xia Zhe was becoming increasingly vague, while the nearby Liu Yan was becoming clearer. Even the most unforgettable past events couldn't compare to the moving moments they were sharing now. Perhaps all that was missing between them was a single sentence to clarify everything.

  The music ended, and Liu Yan, who was tense, didn't know what to do next and stood there awkwardly. Piao Xue covered her mouth with a smile, pulled out a tissue, and helped Liu Yan wipe the sweat from his forehead, chuckling: "Everyone in the advertising circle says you're the little fox of Guandong, but I didn't expect that you would also have a shy side."

  Liu Yan smiled foolishly for a couple of times, still didn't know what to say.

  Xue couldn't help but laugh out loud, and gently pushed him, scolding: "Look at you, silly, aren't you afraid of being laughed at by your subordinates? You're done jumping around, why don't you go back and sit down?"

  Liu Yan also felt that standing in the middle of the room wasn't quite right, so he turned around and walked towards his seat. Xue Hua gently grasped his arm and said in a very soft voice: "Let's get married."

  （）